Lee County church vandals caught

The search is over for three men responsible for breaking into St. Raphael's Church.

Lee County deputies detained and charged three juvenile men early this morning.

Deputies were patrolling the Lee Boulevard area when they came across the suspicious men.

One had bright green spray paint on his arm, leading deputies to believe they may be connected to the recent graffiti vandalism to area businesses.

"Stopped because they were 3
juveniles out at 2:30 in the morning," said Lee County Sheriff's Captain John Haberman.

Deputies responded to St. Raphael's Church on Lee Boulevard May 25th after it was broken into and restroom walls and doors were vandalized.

"I
can't of course repeat some of the things that were written on the wall; but they
were needless to say obscene," said Father Dennis Cooney, of St. Raphael's. "It
was something that was done out of pure viciousness."

A donated Cadillac in the parking lot was also spray painted.

Tyler Yates, James Willis, and Shawn Elswick were all charged with burglary and criminal mischief with property damage of $1,000 or more.

"I
realize that these boys, unless they're justly punished, they probably will not
stop this kind of behavior," said Father Cooney.

The investigation is ongoing to determine if the juveniles are responsible for other vandalism around the area.